General Awareness: India: UPSC Previous Year Questions (General Knowledge)

Explanation

Raghu Rai is a renowned Indian photographer and photojournalist. He is best known for his documentary photography, capturing historical, cultural, and political moments in India. He was a member of Magnum Photos, a prestigious international photography cooperative. His work includes iconic photographs of Indira Gandhi, Mother Teresa, and the Bhopal Gas Tragedy. Awarded the Padma Shri in 1972 for his contribution to photography

Explanation

Bhanu Bharti - Renowned Indian theatre director known for historical and socially relevant plays, promoting folk and classical traditions. Mike Pandey - Award-winning Indian wildlife filmmaker focused on conservation and biodiversity, recipient of the Green Oscar. Mohd Zahur Khayyam - Legendary music composer, known for soulful melodies in Kabhi Kabhie and Umrao Jaan, awarded Padma Bhushan. Vinda Karandikar - Celebrated Marathi poet and critic, Jnanpith Award winner (2003), known for modernist and philosophical themes.

Explanation

V. P. Menon wrote the book "The Story of the Integration of the Indian States". He was a senior civil servant and served as Secretary to the Ministry of States under Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The book details the merger of princely states into the Indian Union after independence in 1947. V. P. Menon played a key role in negotiating the Instrument of Accession, which led to the peaceful integration of many princely states.

Explanation

V. S. Naipaul - Trinidadian-British writer; In a Free State (1971) won the Booker Prize; explored themes of colonialism and identity; Nobel Laureate (2001). Salman Rushdie - Indian-born British author; Midnight’s Children (1981) won the Booker Prize and Booker of Bookers; a landmark in magical realism. Paul Scott - British novelist; Staying On (1977) won the Booker Prize; a sequel to The Raj Quartet, depicting British India’s decline. J. G. Farrell - Anglo-Irish writer; The Siege of Krishnapur (1973) won the Booker Prize; a historical novel on the 1857 Indian Rebellion.

Explanation

Monastery Location Significance Dhankar Monastery Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh Perched on a high cliff; a major Gompa of the Gelugpa sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Rumtek Monastery Sikkim Largest monastery in Sikkim; headquarters of the Kagyu sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Tabo Monastery Tabo village, Spiti Valley One of India’s oldest Buddhist monasteries (founded in 996 AD); renowned for ancient murals and frescoes. Kye (Key) Monastery Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh Founded in the 11th century; largest monastery in Spiti; serves as a training centre for Lamas.

Explanation

Head Quarter of South-Eastern Railway Zone is in Kolkata. India has 17(PIB 2017) railway zones:

Zonal Railway Headquarters Central Railway Mumbai CST Eastern Railway Kolkata East Central Railway Hajipur East Coast Railway Bhubaneswar Northern Railway New Delhi North Central Railway Prayagraj North Eastern Railway Gorakhpur North Frontier Railway Maligaon, Guwahati North Western Railway Jaipur Southern Railway Chennai South Central Railway Secunderabad South Eastern Railway Kolkata South East Central Railway Bilaspur South Western Railway Hubballi Western Railway Mumbai West Central Railway Jabalpur Kolkata Metro Railway Kolkata

Explanation

Cairn Energy, a British oil and gas exploration company, is responsible for the exploration and commercial production of oil in the Barmer-Sanchor basin of Rajasthan. The company discovered significant oil reserves in Mangala, Bhagyam, and Aishwariya fields in the early 2000s. The oilfields in Rajasthan are now operated by Cairn India, a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources.

Explanation

Pair (a) is correctly matched: The States Reorganisation Act, 1956 reorganized Indian states based on linguistic lines. Andhra Pradesh was the first state to be created on a linguistic basis in 1953 (from Madras Presidency). Later, the 1956 Act further reorganised states. Pair (b) is correctly matched: The Treaty of Yandabu (1826) was signed between the British East India Company and Burma. It ended the First Anglo-Burmese War (1824-1826) and led to the annexation of Assam by the British. Pair (c) is correctly matched: The princely state of Bilaspur was merged with Himachal Pradesh in 1954. Himachal later became a full-fledged state in 1971. Pair (d) is incorrectly matched: Gujarat became a separate state on May 1, 1960, following the Bombay Reorganization Act, 1960. In 1966, the state of Haryana was formed

Explanation

Name Field Key Contributions C. N. R. Rao Solid State Chemistry & Material Science Research in solid-state chemistry and nanotechnology; awarded Bharat Ratna (2014). Jagdish Bhagwati Economics Expert in international trade and development economics; worked with UN & WTO. G. N. Ramachandran Physics Developed the Ramachandran Plot, a key discovery in protein structure; contributions to biophysics and crystallography. Ashok Jhunjhunwala Telecommunications Pioneered affordable telecom and broadband solutions in India; developed wireless communication for rural areas.

Explanation

The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, which is based in Oslo, Norway. Unlike other Nobel Prizes (such as Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Literature, and Economic Sciences), which are awarded by institutions in Sweden, the Peace Prize is the only one decided in Norway. This distinction was made by Alfred Nobel in his will, possibly due to Norway’s historical role in promoting peace.